John 9:39-41 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.… I. HAS TWO APPARENTLY OPPOSITE RESULTS. 1. Of these — (1) One is the greatest blessing: "That they which see not might see." All unregenerate men are blind spiritually. God and the moral universe are as much concealed from them as the beauties of this mundane scene are from those born blind. They grope their way through life and stumble on the great future. A greater blessing is not conceivable than the opening of the spiritual eye. It involves the soul's translation into the real paradise of being. (2) The other is the greatest curse: "That they which see," etc., i.e., that those who are unconscious of their blindness and conceitedly fancy they see would be incalculably injured. By rejecting the remedial agency of Christ they would augment their guilt and gloom. These two results are taking place every day. 2. Of these — (1) One is intentional. The grand and definite purpose of Christ is to give "recovery of sight to the blind."(2) The other is incidental and directly opposed to His supreme aim. It comes because Christ does not coerce men, but treats them as free agents, and also because of the perversity of the unregenerate heart. As men may get food out of the earth or poison, fire out of the sun that shall burn them to ashes, or genial light that shall cheer and invigorate them, so men get salvation or damnation out of Christ mission. II. IS MISINTERPRETED AND ABUSED. 1. Misinterpreted (ver. 40). Dost thou mean that we, educated men, trained in the laws and religion of our forefathers, and devoted to the work of teaching the nation, are blind? They would not understand that our Lord meant blindness of heart. So the great purpose of Christ's mission has ever been misinterpreted. Some treat the gospel as if its object were to give a speculative creed, an ecclesiastical polity, a civil government, a social order, while they practically ignore that its grand object is to open the spiritual eyes of men, so that they may see, not men's forms and phenomena, but spiritual realities. 2. Abused (ver. 41). Notwithstanding My mission, "Ye say, We see." With Me you have the opportunity of illumination; without that your blindness would be a calamity, but now it is a crime. "Therefore your sin remaineth." If, like this man, you were without the power of seeing, and had no opportunity of cure, you would have no sin; for no man is required to use a power he has not. What should we think of a man living in the midst of beautiful scenery but refusing to open his eyes? But the case of the spiritually blind, with the faculties of reason and conscience and the sun of the gospel streaming on them, is worse than this. "Men love darkness rather than light," etc. (D. Thomas, D. D.) Parallel Verses KJV: And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind. |
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